DALLAS — The Dallas Wings needed a response as the WNBA playoff race entered its final stretch. Arike Ogunbowale and Jessica Shepard delivered one Thursday night.
Ogunbowale scored a season-high 32 points while Shepard added a career-high 26 as the Wings defeated the Indiana Fever 91-85 before a sold-out crowd of 20,297 at American Airlines Center.
The victory ended Indiana’s five-game winning streak and improved Dallas to 21-16.
The Wings remain eighth in the WNBA standings, holding the league’s final playoff position with seven regular-season games remaining.
Dallas also snapped a two-game losing streak and earned just its fourth victory in 12 games after a six-game winning streak earlier in the season.
Shepard established the tone early.
She scored 22 of her 26 points in the first half, helping Dallas stay within striking distance as Indiana carried a 43-40 lead into halftime. Shepard finished with eight rebounds and four assists.
Ogunbowale took over after the break, scoring 25 of her 32 points in the second half as Dallas began to take control.
The veteran guard also added another milestone to her career, surpassing 5,000 career points while continuing to climb the WNBA’s all-time scoring list.
Awak Kuier delivered one of the strongest defensive performances of her career, finishing with 11 points, eight rebounds and a career-high seven blocked shots.
Kuier had five blocks before halftime and surpassed the Wings’ single-game franchise mark during the second half.
Dallas created separation early in the fourth quarter.
With Paige Bueckers briefly on the bench, Shepard and Alysha Clark scored before Odyssey Sims converted two free throws.
Bueckers returned and knocked down a jumper that gave the Wings their first double-digit lead, 74-64.
Indiana continued to threaten behind Kelsey Mitchell, who tied her season high with 37 points.
Mitchell scored 21 points before halftime and made WNBA history by recording her 21st consecutive game with at least 20 points, surpassing A’ja Wilson for the longest such streak in league history.
Mitchell made four 3-pointers and went 15-for-15 from the free-throw line.
Caitlin Clark finished with 10 points and nine assists for Indiana.
Bueckers had 13 points and eight assists for Dallas.
The former No. 1 overall picks combined to shoot 9 of 31 from the field, six days after both scored 29 points in Indiana’s 98-87 victory over Dallas.
The victory came one day after the Wings announced rookie guard Azzi Fudd will miss the remainder of the season.
Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 WNBA draft, is scheduled to undergo an arthroscopic procedure on her right knee after dealing with persistent soreness.
She has not played since Aug. 5 and finished her rookie season averaging 13.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 30 games.
Thursday’s game also provided another look at the Wings’ future home.
Dallas played three games at American Airlines Center this season while continuing to play the majority of its home schedule at College Park Center in Arlington.
The organization announced earlier this month that the Wings will move their full home schedule to American Airlines Center beginning in 2027.
The Wings now turn their attention to the Seattle Storm.
Dallas will host Seattle at 3 p.m. Sunday at College Park Center. The Storm enter the matchup 7-30 and have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
The Wings have seven games remaining in the 44-game regular season.
Dallas will also host Portland on Tuesday and Connecticut on Aug. 30 before the WNBA pauses competition for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
With Dallas holding the final playoff position, each remaining game carries additional weight.
Thursday’s victory showed the Wings can win without a big scoring performance from Bueckers and without Fudd available.
Shepard controlled the first half, Ogunbowale took over after halftime and Kuier anchored the defense as Dallas secured a needed win against one of the league’s stronger teams.
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